Clay pot forming machine



Nov. 23, 1954 H. H. MONTAGUE CLAY POT FORMING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 9, 1952 IN V EN TOR.

Nov. 23, 1954 H. H. MoNTAGUE CLAY POT F'ORMING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 9, 1952 Nov. 23, l 954 Filed May 9, 1952 H. H. MONTAGUE CLAY POT FORMING MACHINE 4 'Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent Oiice 2,694,845 Patented Nov. 23, 1954 CLAY P01 FORMING MACHINE Harley H. Montague, Denver, Colo.

Application May 9, 1952, Serial No. 286,873

6 Claims. (Cl. 25 26) This invention relates to a machine for forming clay pots and more particularly for forming pots of the variety usually known as flower pots. It is, of course, not limited to this particular product, but can be used for manufacturing any desired earthenware, pot-like article.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a machine of this character to which measured gobs of clay may be fed, and which will automatically deliver a complete, nished pot from each gob that is fed to the machine.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the device that it will require no manual labor, and will continuously and efciently operate to produce and deliver the finished greenware as long as clay gobs are fed thereto.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and eiciency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a right-side View of the improved clay pot forming machine, illustrating it in the open position;

Fig. 2 is a left-side view thereof, illustrating the machine in the closed position;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the machine in the open position;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, detail section, taken on the line 4 4, Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is av similarly enlarged, detail section, taken on the line 5 5, Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a similar section, taken on the line 6 6, Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a front view, illustrating a mechanism for feeding measured clay gobs to the improved forming machine; and

Fig. 8 is a side View of the feeding mechanism, taken on the line 8 8, Fig. 7.

The improved pot forming machine comprises a supporting frame l@ having lower horizontal frame bars 11 and upper horizontal frame bars l2. A tilting upper boom i3 is mounted on a hinge bar 14 supported in bearing brackets 15 arising from the rearward extremity of the frame 10. A lower hinged boom 16 is mounted on a second hinge bar ll7, also supported in the bearing brackets 15 below and parallel to the bar 14.

The upper boom 11.3` extends rearwardly to counterbalance the forward portion thereof. A suitable counterweight i8 is adjustably mounted on the rearwardly extending portion of the upper boom by means of a suitable set screw 19. A motor base plate 20 is xedly mounted on the upper boom 13 and supports a suitable motor 21 thereon by means of attachment bolts 22. The upper boom also supports a bearing block 23 at its forward extremity, the axes of the bearing block and the motor 21 being at right angles to the plane of the upper boom 13. An inner pot form 24 is mounted on a mandrel shaft 25 rotatably mounted in and extending through the bearing block 23. The shaft 25 terminates at its upper extremity in a belt pulley 26, to which power is transmitted from the motor 21 through the medium of a suitable transmission belt 27.

The upper boom 13 is raised and lowered from the crank-like action'of a crank pin 28 projecting from a cam disc 29. The boom is connected to the crank pin 23 through the medium of a telescoping connecting rod consistmg of a plunger 30 which is slidable within a spring cylinder 31. The plunger 30 terminates in a springengaging head 32. A compression spring 33 is compressed between the plunger head 32 and a head bushing 34 in the upper extremity of the cylinder 31.

Thus, at each revolution of the cam disc 29 the forward extremity of the upper boom 13 will be lowered to a horizontal position, thence raised to the inclined position of Fig. l.

The cam disc is mounted on a cam shaft 35 journalled in suitable bearings 36 mounted on the upper frame bars 12. The shaft 35 is driven through the medium of a conventional single-revolution clutch 37 to which power is applied from a speed reducer 38 through the medium of a transmission chain 39. The speed reducer is driven from a drive motor 40 by means of a suitable chain or belt 4l. The clutch 37 is of a type which may be purchased on the open market, and are known as singlerevolution clutches. The clutch is so constructed that, when released, it will transmit a single revolution to the cam shaft 35 and stop the shaft at the terminus of the revolution.

The releasing of the clutch 37 is accomplished by means of a hooked dog 42, which may be lifted to release the clutch by energizing a solenoid 43, the armature of which is connected to the dog 42. Thus, each time the solenoid is energized, the cam disc 29 will make one complete revolution from the open position of Fig. l to the closed position of Fig. 2, thence back to the position of Fig. 1. The solenoid may be energized in any desired manner. As illustrated, it is connected in series with electrical contacts 8l which are closed 'oy means of a swinging switch arm 30 positioned in the path of measured clay gobs as the latter slide or roll down a feed chute 79 to the improved pot machine.

The lower boom 16 is raised and lowered, in correspondence with the peripheral contour of the cam disc 29, by means of a cam follower roller 44 which is rotatably mounted in roller brackets 45 secured to the lower boom The cam disc 29 is formed with two diifering radii, each extending over substantially of its circumference. Thus, when the follower roller 44 is riding on the surface of larger radius, the lower boom 16 will be raised to the closed position of Fig. 2, and when riding on the surface of less radius, the lower boom will be lowered to the open position of Fig. l.

The forward extremity of the lower boom 16 terminates in a pattern-supporting ring 46 in which an outer pot mold i7 is positioned. The outer pot mold is provided with a peripheral upper flange 48 which rests within the pattern ring 46, as shown in Fig. 6.

An ejecting disc 49 closes the bottom of the pot meld 47. The ejecting disc ismounted on a supporting rod 5ft-carried from a resilient bracket arm 51 extending forwardly from the upper frame members 12 of the frame l0. The vertical position of the rod 5t) relative to the bracket arm 5l may be adjusted through the medium of a suitable set screw 52 tok snugly position the disc in the bottom of the outer pot moldv during the pot-forming operation.

Let us assume that the mechanism is in the position of Fig. l, and that a measured gob of clay is fed down the chute 79. The gob strikes the switch arm 8d, causing current to flow to the solenoid 43. The armature of the solenoid is actuated to lift the dog 42, releasing the clutch 37. This initiatesrotation of the cam-shaft 35, causing the upper inner mold to descend and the lower outer mold to rise until the closed position of Fig. 2 is reached. The two molds remain in the closed position for an interval while the whirling inner mold forms the pot in the pattern of the outer mold 47, as indicated at 53 in Fig. 6. The upper edge of the inner mold may be provided with suitable smoothing brushes 54 which sweep the upper edge of the -pot to forma smooth edge thereon.

Rotation of the crank pin 23 now lifts the inner mold from the outer mold, thence rotation of the carn disc 29 causes the outer mold to descend about the rod 53, leaving the completed greenware pot supported on the ejector plate 49 by means of tong-like, oppositely positioned grippers 55 which swing together immediately below the ange line of the pot on the ejector plate thereon. The grippers 55 are mounted upon the extremities of gripper levers 56 which are both hingedly mounted on a common vertical hinge pin 57 positioned in the extremity of a gripper arm 58 rotatably mounted on a vertical shaft 59 mounted in suitable bearings 60 at one forward corner of the frame 10. The gripper arm 58 is rigidly braced from the shaft 59 by means of a diagonal brace 64.

The gripper arm 58 is swung from a position in alignment with the pot molds, as shown in solid line in Fig. 3, to a position to one side, as shown in broken line in Fig. 3, by means of a connecting rod 61 extending between a crank 62 mounted on the cam shaft 55 and a lever arm 63 mounted on the diagonal brace 64. Thus, a complete oscillation is made of the gripper arm for each revolution of the cam shaft.

The grippers 55 are opened and closed at each extremity of the swing of the arm 58 by means of connecting links 65, each of which is connected to one of the gripper levers 56, and both of which are connected to a sliding cross-head 66 operating in a slot 67 in the arm 58. The cross-head is constantly urged toward the shaft 59 by means of a compression spring 68 to normally swing the grippers 55 to the open position.

The grippers 55 are closed by means of a rotating cam 69 mounted on the vertical shaft 59. A cam follower 70 follows the contour of the cam 69 and transmits the resulting motion to a push rod 71 connected with the crosshead 66. The vertical shaft is rotated through the medium of suitable miter gears 72 from a countershaft 73, which is in turn driven through the medium of miter gears 74 from the cam shaft 3S. Thus, each time the pot molds separate to leave a completed pot on the plate 49, the crank 62 will swing the grippers to a position in alignment with the pot, and the cam 69 will operate to close the grippers 55 about the pot. The pot will then be swung to the broken-line position of Fig. 3, when the cam 69 will have reached a position to open the grippers 55 and deposit the pot upon a receiving conveyor or other suitable receiving device.

It will be noted that the ejector plate is slightly indented into the bottom of the finished pot and may be slightly adhering thereto due to the wet clay. It would, therefore, be diicult for the grippers to swing the pot to one side without damage to the green pot unless means were provided for detaching the ejector plate. This is accomplished by means of a tilting vibrator bar 75 which is mounted on a hinge pin 76 in the frame 10. The forward extremity of the vibrator bar has a projecting nger 77 which rests upon the bracket arm 51. The rearward extremity of the bar 75 extends along the inner side of the cam plate 29, where it will be engaged by a projecting contact pin 78. The contact pin 78 engages the bar 75 immediately after the grippers 55 have closed about the pot to depress the forward extremity of the vibrator bar and the finger 77 into engagement with the bracket arm 51 so as to ex the arm S1 downwardly so as to pull the ejector plate away from the gripper-supported pot before the latter is swung sidewardly.

It is necessary that the inner pot mold remain within the outer pot mold a suicient time interval to spin and form the completed pot. This time interval is provided for through the medium of the connecting rod spring 33, that is, the inner mold will reach its forming position within the outer mold before the crank pin 28 reaches its bottom position on the cam disc. The remaining downward travel of the crank pin is absorbed in compressing the spring 33 without further movement of the lower boom 16. Therefore, the inner mold remains vertically stationary in the outer mold while the crank pin 28 is traveling across the lower arc of its travel.

In Figs. 7 and 8 a mechanism for feeding measured clay gobs to the improved forming machine is illustrated. This mechanism is supported from the forward right-hand corner post of the frame upon a vertical angle standard 82 which is secured to the frame 10 by means of suitable bolts 107, or in any other desired manner. `The standard 82 supports a horizontal bracket bar 83 provided with supporting rollers 84 mounted in suitable roller brackets 85. The rollers 84 support an open grooved ring 86, with the peripheries of the rollers traveling in the groove of the ring. The ring is held in a vertical position by means of a top roller 87,

which also travels in the groove of the ring 86. The ring is otherwise unsupported.

Two cutting wires 88 are stretched diametrically across the interior of the ring 86 at right angles to each other. As the ring rotates, the cutting wires travel in front of a discharge nozzle 89 of a screw pressure pug mill 90 supported on angle supports 91 welded or otherwise secured to the bracket bar 83. The mill 90 extrudes a continuous core of wet clay, as indicated in broken line at 105 in Fig. 7.

The ring 86 is rotated through the medium of an actuating pawl 92 which successively engages four peripheral ratchet notches 93 in the ring 86. The pawl 92 is mounted on a pawl pin 94 extending from an arcuate pawl plate 95. The lower extremity of the pawl plate 95 is rotatably mounted on a pivot pin 96, supported in a bracket arm 97 from the standard 82, and positioned in alignment with the axis of the open ring 86.

The pawl plate 95 is reciprocated from the movements of the tilting upper boom 13 through the medium of an actuating arm 98 tixedly secured to the side of the boom 13 and projecting forwardly, sidewardly and upwardly therefrom. The arm 98 is connected at its upper forward extremity with the extremity of the pawl plate 95 through the medium of a connecting link 99. Return movement of the ring 86 is prevented by a click pawl 106 mounted on the standard 82 and positioned to engage the ring notches 93.

A tilting circuit-closing switch 100 is supported by a bracket arm 101 from the bracket member 97. The switch 100 is provided with an actuating blade 102 positioned opposite the discharge of the nozzle 89 of the pug mill 90, and is connected in the circuit of the solenoid 43 to energize the latter when the blade 102 is contacted by the clay core 105. A plurality of inclined slide rods 103 are supported on a bracket arm 104 below the discharge of the pug mill to guide the severed gobs into the forming machine.

The operation of the feeding device is as follows. As the upper boom 13 begins its descent, it will act to swing the pawl plate 95 forwardly and downwardly, causing the pawl 92 to engage a notch 93 to rotate the ring 86 one-quarter revolution, causing one of the wires 88 to sever a gob of clay from the clay bar 105 extruding from the pug mill 90. This gob falls on the slide rods 103 and rolls into the lower pot mold just prior to the entry of the upper pot mold 24 therein.

As the upper boom 98 ascends, the pawl 92 returns to the next successive ring notch 93, and the pug mill 90 forces the core of clay forwardly until it again closes the switch 100 to actuate the solenoid 43 and again start the forming machine to cause the ring 86 to rotate and sever the next successive clay gob.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:

1 A clay pot forming machine comprising: a supporting frame; an upper boom hingedly mounted on said supporting frame and extending forwardly therefrom; a lower boom similarly hinged on said supporting frame and extending forwardly thereof; an outer pot mold supported adjacent the forward extremity of said lower boom; an inner pot mold supported by said upper boom in a position to swing into said lower pot mold; means for rotating the upper pot mold; a cam shaft supported by s aid frame; a crank operated by said cam shaft; connecting means connecting said crank to the upper boom for imparting vertical swinging movement thereto; a cam on said cam shaft; and a cam follower carried by said lower boom and riding on said cam, said cam being contoured to cause vertical movement of said lower boom, said crank and said cam acting to swing said booms vertically toward and away from each other.

2. A clay pot forming machine as described in claim l in which the connecting means is longitudinally and resiliently extendible to allow said crank to describe a greater arc of movement than said upper boom.

3. A clay pot forming machine as described in claim 2 having a bracket extending forwardly to a position below said outer mold; a post arising from said bracket into said outer mold; and an ejector plate carried by said post,

said outer mold being arranged to move upwardly into Contact with said ejector plate, thence downwardly away from the latter.

4. A clay pot forming machine comprising: an upper swinging boom; a lower swinging boom; a rotating inner pot mold carried by the upper boom; a stationary outer pot mold carried by the lower boom; means for swinging said booms vertically toward each other so as to position the inner pot mold in the outer pot mold; means for extruding a core of clay; an open ring surrounding the discharge of said feeding means and positioned to rotate in a plane at right angles to the axis of said core; diametrically extending wires in said ring for severing said clay core; and means for rotating said ring in consequence of the movement of said booms.

5. A clay pot forming machine as described in claim 4 in which the means for rotating consists of a pawl engaging notches in said ring; a swinging pawl plate supporting said pawl; and means connected between said pawl plate and one of said booms for swinging said pawl plate in consequence of the movement of said boom.

6. A clay pot forming machine as described in claim 5 in which an actuating arm extends from one of said booms, and a connecting link extends from said actuating arm to said pawl plate for swinging the latter.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 147,897 Bullard Feb. 24, 1874 639,514 Brooks Dec. 19, 1899 1,137,946 Baird May 4, 1915 1,751,049 Miller Mar. 18, 1930 

